I was just reading through a newsletter from Contracting Business, which seems to indicate a continued trend of increased trade school enrollment. Although this newsletter is mainly related to the HVACR industry, I have read elsewhere about similar increased enrollment in electrical trade schools as well.

I’m just wondering though... where are all of these recent trade school graduates going to find work in the current economy, given that there are already so many highly qualified trades people out of work?Won’t this have the effect of driving down wages when and if the construction industry recovers due to an excess labor pool?

An except from the newsletter:"Today’s economic climate has resulted in a pendulum shift back toward blue-collar type jobs. While being a plumber may still posses a stigma there exists an intrinsic benefit of stable employment without the threat of being outsourced. The installation of a new hot water heater or new kitchen faucet cannot be sent overseas. A plumber must be onsite and in person and it is this reality that has resulted in a new trend in increased trade school enrollment.

HVAC classes at York Technical Institute (YTI) in York, PA filled so quickly that additional classes were added to handle the growing influx of new students. Michael L. Wright, the senior vice president of marketing & admissions at YTI says “The down turned economy has positively impacted enrollment at all five of our campuses. A simple comparison, evaluating enrollment activity reveals an increase approaching fifty percent.

2010 will be the year of more change, but a positive first impression remains the same. It will always be a strategic business tactic. Fasten your seatbelts folks, more changes are coming."

Remember that, while figures don't lie, liars can figure. That is, numbers can represent different things.

First off, take note that being unemployed is often a very good opportunity to take a class - pften it will not hurt your unemployment claim, and you might even be given aid.

Second, in my own job hunt I see many job postings that want you to have more than one trade; they want HVAC, instrumentation, welding, or some other qualification in additional to your being an electrician.

FWIW, I teach P/T evening electrical trades courses at a local County Vo-Tech (Adult Ed). Last semester it was difficult to obtain enough (10+) registrations to run a course. It was attributed to 'the economy'.

Out of the 3 classes I 'do', only 1 actually ran. Yes there were guys that needed NEC1, and the new UCC, but not enough to justify running the class. Next semester starts Tuesday 1/19/2010, so it's wait & see.

I'm not complaining, the 'off' time from the nite job is OK, but the guys that need the class are the ones that are delayed.

I am starting another renovation (bathroom) and I am not having any trouble finding guys who need the work. Things are still very slow. The best "under the slab" plumber my wife knows is struggling so I have to believe a green bean is going to be starving. I was happy I could throw a job his way.

You mean to say that kids actually WANT to go to Trade School?Are these kids already signed up with an Apprenticeship?

[sarcasm]Crikey, these kids are really lowering themselves from a potential career as a lawyer or an Engineer, imagine the money you could make by sitting on your behind??!![/sarcasm]

And so it goes, folks, no-one these days wants to get their hands (let alone their, arms, back, legs, pockets full of dirt) dirty, especially on such little money.Maybe wages have got better since I did my time, I doubt that though.The crawl spaces haven't got any tidier though.

Damn you 1950's builders that threw your empty beer bottles under the house before the floor was put on.

_________________________
Let's face it, these days if you're not young, you're old - Red Green

I believe it is probably not "kids" in these schools but people who figured out those "sit and think" jobs are hard to come by or simply hard to keep. I know during the construction boom there were lots of guys who thought they would be "sitting in an air conditioned office in a swivel chair, talking trash to their secretary". (-Jim Croachy)... but there was a lot more money in pasting pipe or floating drywall. I used to say in those days, anyone with a, screwdriver, rusty pair of Kliens and a mouthfull of wirenuts could be an electrician.

I suspect they figured out that now employers actually want to see some papers before they hire you.